A new study suggests the key ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms may help people with treatment-resistant depression, according to a report published in the journal Scientific Reports.

In the small study, psilocybin – the psychoactive compound found in so-called “magic mushrooms” – helped improve depression symptoms nineteen of 20 depression patients for up to five weeks after their treatment.

Notably, the participants had not responded to previous traditional depression treatments.

“We have shown for the first time clear changes in brain activity in depressed people treated with psilocybin after failing to respond to conventional treatments,” said study leader Robin Carhart-Harris, head of psychedelic research at Imperial College London.

While the findings are interesting and could potentially lead to future treatment methods, Carhart-Harris emphasizes that people should not try to self-medicate with psychoactive mushrooms. He notes that the study was very small and did not include a comparison group of participants who received a placebo or other psilocybin substitute.

Still, the team says that their findings are backed by before-and-after brain scans showing that psilocybin might “reset” regions of the brain that could facilitate depression.

“Several of our patients described feeling ‘reset’ after the treatment and often used computer analogies,” Carhart-Harris explained in a college news release. One said he felt like his brain had been “defragged” like a computer hard drive, and another said he felt “rebooted,” the researcher added.

“Psilocybin may be giving these individuals the temporary ‘kick-start’ they need to break out of their depressive states, and these imaging results do tentatively support a ‘reset’ analogy. Similar brain effects to these have been seen with electroconvulsive therapy,” Carhart-Harris said.

The team agrees that future studies are needed to see if the positive effect can be safely replicated in larger groups. However, they believe the initial findings provide evidence that is worthy of being further explored.

For now, the group of researchers is planning a follow-up trial which will compare the psychoactive compound against a leading antidepressant.

Leave a Reply

This form is to connect you with Brookhaven Hospital to learn how the program can benefit you or a loved one. It is not for emergency contact with the hospital. If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, having suicidal thoughts or plans or thinking of harming someone call 911 immediately.

Name

Email

Phone

Comments

Please leave this field empty.

Privacy Policy All inquiries are confidential. Your information will not be shared for any purpose.

Search

Clinical Outcomes of Treatment

What Our Patients Say

I just wanted to say that the staff at Brookhaven saved my life! I've been sober since, and I've never felt better! It has made me want to help people in other ways as well! Thank you all so much and God Bless.— Kay S.

I have heartfelt gratitude for the care and counseling our son received at Brookhaven. Yesterday was his 36th birthday and he continues to do very well. Please convey our deepest thanks to the other staff. — Nick C